


Only Fools Fall

by naruyeol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Smut, baekhyun deserves better, but chanyeol doesnt deserve baekhyun, literally thats the whole fic a list of the reasons where baekhyun deserves better than chanyeol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-13 09:37:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15361590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naruyeol/pseuds/naruyeol
Summary: "Though I try to resist, I still want it all."-----Chanyeol's an upcoming university graduate primed to take over his father's company and Baekhyun is a photography major just trying to make it to his senior year. Somehow, their lives intertwine and there's nothing either of them can do to get out.





	1. Mr. Loverboy

**Author's Note:**

> hi there!! i've been battling with just posting the first couple of chapters for literally almost a year and i'm finally just throwing caution to the wind and posting it!!! i apologize ahead of time for how unfortunate my updates will be because i work full time and also have somewhat of a social life and other responsibilities but!! i'm determined to finish this story as it's one i've had on my mind for quite sometime and i'm excited to share it with others besides the lovely lady who helped me come up with it (shoutout to almira, my angel <3). so yeah, feel free to comment as much as you'd like and give me all the feedback you can supply!! thank you so much for taking the time to read this fic and ofc my wordy notes, bc let's face it i'm gonna be REAL wordy in these things. ok hehe anyways love y'all, please enjoy <3

_**Come on Baekhyunnie!! It's just a party :p** _

A sigh escapes his lips as he reads the text, letting his body fall backwards and hitting the mattress. Yixing really knew how to sweet talk Baekhyun into tagging along wherever he went. Even as kids, Baekhyun and Yixing had always been attached to each other by the hip, mostly because Baekhyun was incapable of not giving him every inch of attention and affection the boy deserved. They'd been best friends for too long though, Baekhyun figures, because Yixing knows all too well that Baekhyun will practically follow him around to social events purely out of boredom. His head comes up to finish sending the text reluctantly. 

_**Fine fine, you win, i’m on my way  
But you owe me!!!  >.<** _

With that, Baekhyun finds himself slumping across the room towards his closet and he’s not even sure what the appropriate attire for the party he’s being dragged to is. He's not an avid partier and doesn’t know many party rules outside of ‘never leave your cup unattended’ - are there even rules? Baekhyun's sure there’s a silent party rulebook that he was never privied to based on the fact that any time he’s asked a question about it, people have just giggled at him followed by the ever annoying statement, _“you’re so cute”_.It's not as if he’s highly interested in actually going to parties in the first place, but the awkwardness of it all just made them worse. He's still staring at the shirts in his closet before he decides that he really doesn’t care what he wears and goes with his current black t-shirt and denim jeans. It's not like he had anyone to impress, right? There wasn’t a reason to put in extra effort for something his heart truly wasn’t into, anyways. Yixing wouldn’t mind, so long as he actually showed up like he said he would. He grabbed his wallet and keys before making his way out of his apartment, locking the door, and heading down the stairs. Once he managed to get himself in the car, he sat there for a minute with the keys in the ignition, thinking over everything in his head before telling himself to shut up, finally turning on the car and driving towards Yixing’s house.

He parked on the right side of the driveway, his normal parking spot, before texting Yixing telling him he’d arrived. By the time he reached the doorway, it was already opening with a familiar smile right behind it. **“He lives!”** , Yixing laughs afterwards and grabs Baekhyun by the hand to pull him into a tight hug. 

**“It's not like we haven’t been talking”** , Baekhyun couldn’t help but laugh softly alongside him. Yixing had always had an infectious laugh and personality, which is probably why he made friends so easily. 

**“Yeah, but I haven’t seen you in weeks!”** , his arms fall from Baekhyun’s body, **“you’re not still knees deep in developer are you?”**

 **“I'm always knees deep in developer”** , Baekhyun jokes, **“but, uh, no I've completely finished the project!”** The minute the words leave his lips, Yixing’s grinning and his eyes light up.

 **“Can I see it? I can see it, right? You're not gonna do that thing where you tell me about your exciting photography project and then not show me, right?”** Baekhyun lets out a genuine laugh, shaking his head and elbowing Yixing in the side. 

**“Of course not! It needs a second opinion, anyways.”**

Yixing gasps, sarcasm dripping from his lips, **“you want my opinion? On your art? I'm honored.”**

Baekhyun rolls his eyes at his friend, **“oh, shut up, you know your opinion is the most important one.”**

They chat some more, Baekhyun letting Yixing take the lead on who they talk to and where they go, as per usual. Baekhyun never really considered himself to be much of a leader nor did he ever take charge in most situations; Yixing had always been the headstrong and outgoing one in their relationship and it was something Baekhyun had gotten both comfortable with and expected. Not that Baekhyun didn’t have the ability to be outgoing and social, but in comparison to Yixing, he came off as a shy and introverted photography geek. Halfway through their travels, though, Yixing stops in his tracks and turns around to Baekhyun, **“oh my god. Don't look but, you-know-who is over by the fireplace.”**

Baekhyun glances over Yixing’s shoulder as subtle as he can manage, instantly understanding the situation. Kim Junmyeon; grad student, national debate champion through all of his undergrad, debate captain, and all around perfect gentleman. Yixing's been hung up on him since their freshman year and has been on-and-off flirting with him since then, too. Baekhyun always admired the the boy’s dedication considering he’d take one look at a guy he was interested in and walk in the complete opposite direction. Yixing knew what he wanted, though, and he wasn’t afraid to go after it - something Baekhyun had never learned how to accomplish. Yixing always looked nervous when he talked about Junmyeon, too. At least to Baekhyun he did, but maybe that’s because they’ve both always been straight-forward with one another. **“Should I go up to him?”**

Baekhyun just laughs at his question, **“Xing, it’s your house.”**

**“Yeah, I know that, but should I go up to him?”**

**“Yes, you should go up to him!”**

**“Well, what am I gonna say? The last time we talked face to face was Minseok’s graduation party and I don't know if you remember well, but-”**

**“Yixing, I don’t think I'll ever be able to erase the image of you tied up like that in my entire life.”**

**“So, you see my dilemma then!”**

Baekhyun just rolls his eyes, fixing the collar of the barely taller male’s shirt, **“stop being difficult, you know how to do this stuff way better than me. Just improvise or something! He's literally on your court and the ball is in your hands.”** Yixing raises an eyebrow at him and flashes a smirk at the comment. Baekhyun smacks his chest lightly, **“you know what I mean.”**

 **“You're right, though. He's on my turf. He's gotta play by my rules.”** He winks at the last sentence.

 **“That was way more information than I was ready for.”** Yixing had never been shy about anything in his life and that trait had only grown the older they’d gotten. He watches as Yixing skips his way over to Junmyeon, leaving him to his own devices and Baekhyun figures that this is the perfect opportunity to hide from everyone in Yixing's bedroom. He stealthily slips past his best friend unnoticed, finding his way up the stairs of the home he’d spent much of his life in and out of. It really did seem like yesterday that the both of them were running down these same stairs to watch reruns of Pokémon on the living room tv and having dinner with the Zhang’s. Yixing’s parents ended up moving out of the city a few years back, finding the hustle of Seattle to be too much for them in their old age, and in turn left their son to his own devices in their family home, which Baekhyun has been really thankful for at the time due to the fact that he hadn't been able to find a place of his own yet and ended up crashing with his best friend for quite some time. He reached the end of the familiar hall and let out a breath that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. Baekhyun really did enjoy the company of others, but often it all became too much for him to process and he did need his alone time. He was a little too relieved at the space he was about to receive, however, because had he been paying a bit more attention he probably would’ve heard the commotion going on behind the door before he made the mistake of opening it.

Now, Baekhyun himself was no stranger to sex or anything inbetween. He'd seen his fair share and definitely partaken in it more than a couple of times. That being said, walking in on someone having sex was not exactly the most exciting thing to experience and for someone like Baekhyun, it was borderline traumatic. The minute his senses caught up to the signals his brain was sending and he was able to process the situation, the intense feeling of regret coursed through him. He immediately sputtered out the first thing that popped into his head. **“Oh my god, oh my god. I'm so sorry!”** He only caught a glimpse of the guy and girl that were in the bed, but he’d felt like that had been one glimpse too many. He covered his eyes instantly, turning around and practically running straight into the door frame. **“Sorry, sorry! Don't mind me!”** Eventually, he made his way out of the room, shutting the door behind him and scurried away faster than he’d ever moved in his entire life.

# ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

If there was a file of things a person should never have to experience, that was absolutely one of them. And worse, Baekhyun couldn't get the face of the guy out of his head. It was etched into his brain; the furrow of his brows, sweat visible along his biceps and the side of his face, broad shoulders - Baekhyun really needed to get a drink. He headed back down the stairs after his “alone time” and headed back into the kitchen, walking past a few familiar faces from shared classes. A few minutes later, he's leaning against the counter with a bottle of water in his hand, chugging it like he'd ran a mile. His attention strays from the feeling of the water trailing down his throat only at the sound of Yixing's voice, **“there you are!”** Yixing’s expression changes slightly at the sight of Baekhyun, though. **“You look like my mom just gave you the scolding of your life.”** “I wish that's what had happened.”

Yixing’s looking at him more intensely, walking closer to him and leaning against the counter opposite him. **“What did happen?”**

**“Uh. Well, I… may have accidentally witnessed someone having sex in your bedroom…”**

Yixing’s eyes widened. **“Wait, what?!”**

**“Yeah, it was kinda traumatic.”**

**“I can't believe this!”**

**“Yeah, it wa-”**

**“They were having sex in my bed?!”**

Baekhyun can't help but laugh at the comment, shaking his head. **“Thank you for your concern.”**

 **“Oh, come on,”** Yixing playfully smacks him on the arm, laughing with him and shrugging his shoulders, **“there's worse things you can experience.”**

**“Yeah, well, next time you can be the one who walks in on someone having sex.”**

Yixing’s still laughing and it's these moments that make Baekhyun feel grateful that the two of them never drifted apart over the years. It’s hard keeping in touch with people in adult life, let alone the friends you had in high school, but Yixing made it easy for him. Being in his company and sharing their thoughts with one another, always listening to the drama going on his in his life, whether it was about his weird relationship with Junmyeon or anything else inbetween, it was hard to not become enamored by the boy. Yixing had charm to him and anyone who knew him would say the same thing. As much as Baekhyun enjoyed his friendship, though, he knew that Yixing was far more fond of him than Baekhyun would ever be able to comprehend. Yixing relied more on the smaller than he’d ever let on, but it's the silent dependency that makes their friendship as strong as it is. 

**“Was he at least hot?”**

Baekhyun’s about to form a disgusted look when he remembers that he had caught a glimpse of the male and that he was rather attractive… at least from what he could actually see. He must’ve been wearing his thoughts all over his face because Yixing’s lips formed the widest grin, **“you’ll have to point him out then, when you see him again.”**

**“What? Why?”**

**“So you can be next.”**

Baekhyun rolls his eyes at him as he moves past him out of the kitchen. **“I’m just saying, you could get laid. It might bring back your little doe-eyed love struck grin.”** Baekhyun felt his face heat up at the fun Yixing was having. It wasn’t hard for Baekhyun to fall for someone - a couple wide-eyed smiles, a few neck kisses, and he was pretty much head over heels for them. 

**“Shut up… I don’t look that doe-eyed…”**

It’s Yixing’s turn to roll his eyes this time. Baekhyun really didn’t mind being called cute or anything that could fall into the same category, but there were times when he felt it was a tad condescending - from the right person, anyways. Not that Yixing was that person, but Baekhyun had never really felt like the “cute” type to begin with. Yixing’s voice is what finally snaps him out of his thoughts, “speaking of getting laid, I want you to meet someone.”

Baekhyun audibly groans.

**“Oh, don’t be like that! You’ll like him. He’s one hundred percent your type.”**

**“I very seriously doubt that.”**

**“Okay, now I’m just offended.”**

Baekhyun’s smiling despite his utter disapproval of his best friend trying to set him up. He knew Yixing always meant well, but Baekhyun was tired of dating - tired of trying to date. Nothing ever seemed to pan out the way Baekhyun wanted and it was exhausting to be constantly let down over and over for the same things. He looks at Yixing, the other male expressing his desire to help the best he can, and he can’t say no. He can never say no to Yixing, but especially not with him looking at him like a puppy that just got it’s favorite toy taken away. He hesitates for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, “alright. But, you better not be wrong about this one.”

Yixing flashes a soft smirk at him before grabbing him by the hand and pulling him back towards the living room. In the short walk from the kitchen to the living room, Baekhyun felt almost as if he was walking to his own execution. That may have seemed a bit dramatic, but most romantic situations gave Baekhyun the worst feeling in his stomach. He loved being with someone and he loved being in love, but the build up to it all was absolute torture for him. The mere idea of being eyed down and flirted with made Baekhyun sweat, so being thrown into one of those situations was like he’d been dragged into a burning house. After what felt like forever, they finally made their way back into the living room and Baekhyun really only recognizes a few faces. Yixing lets go of his hand for a moment to tap on someone’s back and when they’ve turned, Baekhyun’s relieved to know it’s just Junmyeon for the moment. Well, at least I have a few moments of peace until my demise. They get into their own little conversation for a moment which leaves Baekhyun feeling a bit like a third wheel, but he’s too kind to say anything to either one of them. He figures it’s better this way - maybe he’ll avoid meeting the mysterious individual Yixing’s trying to hook him up with. 

**“How’s your project been going?”**

Baekhyun’s attention is pulled again when he hears Junmyeon’s voice directed towards him. **“Ah, it’s finished, actually. Had to scrap it a couple of times halfway through because it didn’t feel right, but having the moral support via text was rather helpful.”** Yixing smiles, giving a soft shrug and wrapping his arm around Baekhyun momentarily. 

**“I’d really like to see it! If you don’t mind, that is. Yixing’s showed me a few of your older works and I loved them, so I’m curious to see where you’ve improved.”** Baekhyun’s feeling his face heat up again at the compliment. He’s not surprised Yixing’s been boasting about him behind closed doors, as weird as it is. The two of them are practically brothers, so it’s no shocker that Junmyeon’s gotten an earful about him and his work. **“No, no, I don’t mind at all,”** Baekhyun starts the sentence, but is interrupted by a much taller male walking up beside Junmyeon. 

It’s in this moment that Baekhyun feels his world tilt slightly as he takes in the appearance of the stranger before him. Well, he’s not sure if he should really call him a stranger as he did just see half of his naked body only 20 minutes ago. Baekhyun’s sure he’s actually sweating at this point, his throat feeling clogged by the word vomit wanting to escape. It’s clear the other boy knows Baekhyun was the one who’d walked in on him and his lover earlier, too, considering he’s eyeing Baekhyun with a purpose. The smaller realizes he’s far too focused on the boy in front of him because he’s starting to pick up on even the most miniscule gestures - the other boy’s hands sliding into his pockets, his tongue darting out and grazing over his lips slowly or maybe Baekhyun’s just imagining it, his eyes trailing Baekhyun up and down. He's not sure if this is the look of ‘you’re caught’ or ‘I want you’, but either way the temperature is only rising and there’s not much Baekhyun can do but stare at him. He feels like it’s been years before the boy speaks, but it’s truly only been seconds. 

**“You’re a photographer?”**

Baekhyun’s still just staring at him, but he manages to sputter out a ‘yeah’. The boy smiles, though it feels different than a regular smile Baekhyun’s used to. Almost as if it was hollow. **“That can’t be the most stable career.”** It amazes Baekhyun that lips so soft could sting with such venom. Anyone in pursuit of an art career has heard the same spiel over and over again, but even still it’s no less rude to hear it from someone you hardly know. Baekhyun’s stare turns from enamored to insulted quickly, but he just smiles. **“I don’t really do it for the money.”**

**“Obviously.”**

Baekhyun wishes that he was just a few inches taller and didn’t cry when he got into arguments, because he really wanted to punch this guy in the face. Thankfully, Yixing swooped in to try and save the conversation. **“He’s just being modest! He gets good commissions all the time. A couple paid him twelve hundred dollars to do a complete shoot of their wedding and reception a few weeks back.”** He thought it was cute how Yixing was showing him off like Baekhyun was his child who’d just won the state spelling bee, but his focus was honestly more on the taller boy. He had some kind of nerve, but Baekhyun figures this is all karma for having interrupted him and his lady friend in the first place. He was getting his revenge and he was enjoying it. Even with Yixing’s comment, the other boy’s unreadable expression remains the same, his eyes fixated upon Baekhyun. **“Well, I’ll definitely have to see it sometime, then.”**

Yeah, how about not. 

In any normal situation, he’d be more than willing to show someone his work, but he wasn’t sure how comfortable he was putting his heart and soul on display for someone who didn’t seem to really understand nor appreciate the effort put into his art. He’s about to ask for the boy’s name, but he beats Baekhyun to the punch. **“Chanyeol.”** He holds out his hand, eyes still locked on Baekhyun’s, and he’s feeling obligated to do more than give the boy a handshake. He manages to keep the smile on his face, extending out his arm and letting his small hands be encased by the other male’s much larger ones. The excessive eye contact was starting to make him sweat again, but he managed to not let his hand linger in this boy’s grasp for too long. 

Yixing nudges Baekhyun’s shoulder, causing the smaller to turn and look at his friend, only to be confronted with a few small eye movements and facial expressions towards Chanyeol. Baekhyun’s not sure what he’s trying to say for a moment, but then it dawns on him - this must’ve been the boy he’d meant to introduce Baekhyun to. The smaller boy has to contain his dry laugh. Yixing must be out of his mind if he truly thinks Baekhyun would ever be into someone as abrasive as someone like this. He might’ve been attractive as hell, but that didn’t erase the very obvious negative personality traits. Perhaps Baekhyun was passing too harsh of a judgment on someone he’d only just met, but first impressions made lasting marks on someone’s view of you. 

Junmyeon starts making conversation, as usual, keeping them from any buttons to push. Baekhyun has a hard time paying attention to most of what he’s saying, unfortunately, because despite being an active part of the conversation, Chanyeol is insistent on making eye contact with him at every other word. Baekhyun wishes he could pry open the other male’s mind if only to figure out what his endgame entailed - would he confront Baekhyun about the bedroom incident? Would he keep it to himself and mildly torture him? He got the sinking feeling that it definitely wasn’t going to be the latter, but he was just hoping whatever confrontation the two would have wouldn’t be too embarrassing on Baekhyun’s end.

Before long, Yixing was doing his best to pull Junmyeon away from the conversation, or rather debate, he and Chanyeol were engaged in. Baekhyun figured the two of them were decent friends or at least knew each other well based on the fact that they were managing to have a civil conversation despite having completely opposite opinions. Eventually, Yixing’s pulling Junmyeon away from the group, giving Baekhyun a wink as he walks away, leaving both him and Chanyeol alone. Almost immediately, Baekhyun attempts to make a quick exit. **“I’m just… gonna get a drink.”** He begins to turn and head the other direction as fast as he can, but Chanyeol’s faster than he looks, grabbing his wrist before he can make a getaway. 

**“Not so fast.”**

Baekhyun really hates his luck, or lack of it. It was awkward enough to have witnessed the whole thing in the first place, the last thing he wanted to do was to relive it and have it thrown in his face. He turns back around, shaking his head, **“look, I’m really sorry, I should’ve knocked-”**

 **“You think so?”** The harsh tone resurfaces, making Baekhyun instantly regret apologizing in the first place. His expression must have alerted Chanyeol to that regret and irritation based on the smug look on his face and the scoff he let escape his lips. **“You know, you made her feel uncomfortable with the way you just barged in. She didn’t wanna finish.”**

This was far more information Baekhyun wanted from someone he hardly knew, though he couldn’t help the instant feeling of guilt for having made the girl even slightly uncomfortable. He could care less about Chanyeol’s lack of satisfaction, but it made him feel uneasy thinking about whatever uncomfortableness she’d suffered because of his unawareness. He considered asking where she was so he could make a genuine apology, quickly figuring that he was probably the last person she wanted to talk to and that the entire interaction would leave Baekhyun a stuttering mess. Chanyeol seemed to have more to say, which Baekhyun felt should’ve been impossible.

 **“Don’t worry, you can make it up to me.”**

Baekhyun’s attention was focused back on the taller male in front of him. He raised an eyebrow, hesitant to ask what he was about to get roped into. **“And how’s that, exactly?”** There’s tension in the air, or at least it feels like it to Baekhyun. He could’ve just been reading into the whole situation incorrectly, it wasn’t as if he was any good at reading people’s minds or expressions. Chanyeol could’ve been thinking about an essay he needed to finish and the smaller would misread it as hatred for him. Eventually, Chanyeol breaks the silence. 

**“Come upstairs with me.”**

He’s confused for a moment, unsure of what the taller meant by the request, but after a few seconds of processing, it clicks. Oh…. Oh my god. Was Chanyeol asking him to have sex? Suddenly, the air is sticky and Baekhyun’s sure his breath halted for a minute. He’d been courted before and it wasn’t like he’d never experienced someone attempt to have a one night stand with him, but he’d never been approached in a way that was both subtle and yet so forward at the same time. He felt like his legs could give out on him if he moved his foot even slightly.

**“I-I’m sorry, what?”**

**“You heard me.”**

Chanyeol takes a step closer to him and if it was hard to breathe before, he was sure he lungs would collapse now. There was hardly any space left between the two of them and Baekhyun was acutely unaware of where this interaction was about to go. Chanyeol’s hand grazes up Baekhyun’s arm, moving swiftly towards his chest. **“Come on,”** his hand moves to Baekhyun’s chin and lifts it up so they’re looking directly at one another. It’s in this moment that Baekhyun realizes that this boy knows exactly what he’s doing and knows exactly how to push every single one of Baekhyun’s buttons, that he’s known from the moment they made eye contact just how much he affected Baekhyun - and he was going to take advantage of that. 

**“Don’t act like it didn’t cross your mind.”**

**“I-”**

Chanyeol interrupts him, **“it’s cute that you thought you were hiding it, though.”**

Baekhyun’s stomach is turning and his entire body is on fire, something he’s sure Chanyeol is absolutely aware of, but he needed to get ahold of himself. Taking a step backward, he smacks Chanyeol’s hand away from his face, **“and so what if I did? You think that means I’m gonna just hop into bed with you?”** Baekhyun figures that Chanyeol’s used to getting exactly what he wants, which makes him want to resist his advances even more than before, but his facial expression remains unchanged. He’s still staring back at him with underlining hunger masked by a smirk and it’s a look Baekhyun’s unsure he wants to see again. **“I’m not really interested in hookups, anyways.”** It wasn’t a lie, at least not a complete one. Baekhyun normally is not the type to give in easily nor is he capable of enjoying sex unless he feels more than just physical attraction to someone, but every time Chanyeol’s eyes gaze him up and down he’s sure that were there less people in the vicinity, he’d be pinned back against a wall and a moaning mess. 

Chanyeol nods softly before he speaks again. **“You keep telling yourself that.”**

Before Baekhyun can even speak a single syllable, the taller’s walking past him and he almost calls back for him so he can give Chanyeol a piece of his mind, but he keeps his mouth shut for the sake of his own pride, even if there isn’t much. The same could not be said for Mr. I Think I’m Utterly Irresistible. He’s sure he hasn’t seen the last of Chanyeol, but he could at least take comfort in the fact that the other male was done harassing him for the evening or, at least he hoped so. 

He pulls his phone out of his back pocket and was alarmed at how long he’d ended up sticking around for, considering it was nearly 2am. Yixing’s most definitely not returning to the party for the rest of the evening, so Baekhyun figures that this is his cue to head out and return back to his natural habitat - his bed. He sends Yixing a quick text, _hey I’m heading out!! See ya later :)_ , and makes a beeline for the door. He’s home around 2:30am and all the social interaction has him exhausted. He wasn’t normally this put out from parties, but maybe it was because of the whole conversation he'd just been part of that had put his body in a funk. No, it wasn’t just that. It was Chanyeol in general. As nice as he was, even Baekhyun had his pet peeves and that boy managed to check the boxes of several of them in a matter of an hour. The haunting thing about it was that Baekhyun almost… enjoyed it. He told himself that it was probably the fact that Chanyeol was genuinely attractive - arrogant or not, he was attractive and, worse yet, he knew it. Baekhyun mentally chastised himself for continuing to dwell on the whole thing, it wasn’t as if he planned on ever interacting with Chanyeol again and even if he did end up running into the other boy again, he had zero intention on making conversation. So, there truly wasn’t a point in worrying about the night any further. 

He made his way through his apartment, tossing off his jeans and replacing them with a pair of sweats. He laid his phone on the bedside table after plugging the charger in, grabbing the remote, and climbing into his bed. Turning the TV on, he puts ‘Friends’ on and within thirty minutes he’s almost asleep before he hears his phone go off. He ignores it, but a second ding hits and he can’t help his curiosity. He picks it up from the table and he smiles when he sees they’re from Yixing.

_**Get some sleep!! You better text me when you’re ready to show me your project or I’ll spam you with asmr videos >:(** _

_He laughs despite the slight shiver sent down his spine. Yixing really did know how to make a guy sweat. His eyes go over the next text and that’s when he feels his stomach do seventy somersaults in a row._

__

_**Chanyeol said you had a nice ass, by the way ;)  
Read the text to Myeon myself** _

It was officially confirmed. Chanyeol was an insufferable ass. 

Baekhyun laid his phone back on the table, rolling himself over and pulling the covers over him. It bothered him that he was reacting the way he was to someone he normally would be so turned off by. It was more than disconcerting for him and the fact that Chanyeol knew he had an effect over him made the entire situation that much more overwhelming. He didn’t want to start over-thinking the night again, so he shut out his thoughts and forced himself to focus on the quiet dialogue from his TV, falling back asleep. Hopefully, he’d wake up and Chanyeol wouldn't exist.


	2. Unholy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't say it's unholy  
> If I let you come hold me  
> I know it's wrong that I want to be here in your arms  
> But tonight I'm so lonely"

The last two weeks seemed to fly by fast for Baekhyun. His final deadline was coming up and the closer he came to finishing the semester, the more he was starting to hate his entire setup. He’d spent the majority of the week criticizing the whole thing - lighting, which photos were matched together, which photos were even used - it was a never-ending cycle for him. Still, he was unable to find the thing that was missing from his work so, figured he could use a third party perspective and decided this was the perfect time to let Yixing loose on his photography. He’d sent a quick text to the boy telling him he could pop over whenever he was ready before setting his phone back in his pocket and focusing back onto his work. It’d been days since he’d had any real contact with Yixing, or anyone for that matter. It wasn’t like Baekhyun ever intended to cut people off from his life, but when he was working, he didn’t have the ability to focus on anything else - it wasn’t that he couldn’t, he just didn’t want to give anyone less attention than they deserved. He knew Yixing was always dying to get a first look at his art, though, and if anything, Baekhyun really could use the company. He felt his pocket buzz a few minutes later, pulling it out, smiling at the text he’d received. 

_**Well FINALLY! I’m omw :*** _

Baekhyun really did appreciate the hell out of Yixing. 

Twenty minutes or so passed before he heard the door open from behind him and the usual shuffle of feet. **“I’m surprised you haven’t changed the locks on me!”** Baekhyun turns from his work, closing the curtain into the room and heading towards the living room where he now had another body making itself at home in. 

**“What, and miss you barging in whenever you feel like it?”**

**“Glad to see your sense of humor is still intact!”**

Yixing’s already taking his shoes off by the front door, throwing his bag and jacket on the couch, heading to the kitchen. Baekhyun’s used to this - Yixing existing in his space as if he belonged there, like he’d been there his whole life, which in many ways he did belong there. The two of them had been friends for so long that he’d spent more nights in Baekhyun’s home and bed than any guy Baekhyun had ever slept with or dated. He was thankful to have that kind of a friendship with someone that was never, and would never, be interested in him romantically or sexually. Sometimes, all he really needed was to curl up in bed with someone he trusted and just _be_. And he felt lucky as hell that Yixing was that person for him. They’d never been weird about their relationship, even if others had in the past - it was inevitable, the questions and glances from both family members and friends, but it had never bothered either one of them. They’d always carried on hand in hand, Baekhyun’s head in Yixing’s lap watching dumb youtube videos - it was never weird for them. It felt right for Baekhyun, and he assumed for Yixing. Or maybe it was just so familiar that it felt safe and comfortable, something that Baekhyun could rely on. That’s what it boiled down to for him. Yixing would always be there, no matter what and that kind of security was hard for him to find. 

Yixing comes out of the kitchen with a glass of water in his hands, shaking his head at Baekhyun, **“it's honestly a crime that you never buy alcohol.”**

**“You gonna be the one to handcuff me, then?”**

Yixing winks at him, jokingly, **“don’t tempt me.”**

He walks past Baekhyun to head towards the art room before pausing and spinning back around. **“What’s the theme? I forgot that I know absolutely nothing about this project despite you complaining about it endlessly.”**

**“I get a sense that you’re making fun of me a bit.”**

Yixing shrugged, **“just a bit.”**

Baekhyun gives him a dramatic pout, which caused Yixing to hold up his index finger and thumb, rubbing the two together. Baekhyun’s pout instantly faded back to his usual expression, rolling his eyes at his best friend. **“Oh, ha ha ha, world’s smallest violin. Very funny.”** He moves forward to walk with Yixing towards his art room, **“the theme is Youth. You can interpret it however it comes to you, but the general theme is Youth.”** Yixing looks at him with an understanding face, giving him a nod as to let him know he’s ready to absorb the scene, and Baekhyun gestures for him to head into the room. 

No matter how many times he lets someone see his work, the nerves and fear never quite disappear. It wasn’t that Baekhyun didn’t know he was talented, it was that he felt like he had too much to live up to - especially when it came to his friends and family. His parents were more supportive of his career path than you would expect, definitely more than he’d expected, and living up to their expectations of him was… difficult, to say the least. Even with Yixing, someone he trusted more than anyone, Baekhyun still had the uneasy feeling that he could lie straight to his face and say his work is the best he’d ever seen. Yixing was already the type of person to unconditionally love and support whatever made you happy, but there wasn’t anyone else’s opinion that mattered more to Baekhyun. It was a double-edged sword; he’d get the most important opinion but, he would never feel like it was the truth. 

He was happy with this setup, though, finally. It started on the right side of the door with a photo of a decently embarrassing photo of himself as a child, sprawled across the floor in nothing but a diaper. Taped above the frame was a piece of string that went all the way up towards the ceiling and draped across the room with smaller photos hanging from it. Each picture were more baby pictures, but they weren’t all Baekhyun. The trend continued across the room - starting with baby photos, moving towards first loves, graduations, friendships and parties. The overall theme was Youth, but Baekhyun’s underlying tone of the whole project was a bit deeper than what was shown on the surface. He was hoping it was well hidden, though, as he wasn’t sure he was ready for too many people to know about that side of his mind. 

It takes Yixing about ten to fifteen minutes to walk around the room, looking at each picture, letting the gears turn inside his head to see if he could piece it all together. When he’d finished, he turned around to look at Baekhyun from the other side of the room, **“I have only one critique.”** He was actually surprised. Yixing hardly expressed criticism of… anything. He shook his head as he walked back towards Baekhyun, **“there’s not nearly enough pictures of me.”**

Baekhyun couldn’t contain the laugh that ruptured from his lips. 

**“Wow, that was really loud. I’d forgotten what your laugh sounded like for a minute there.”**

His laughter died down slowly, **“are you complaining?”**

**“Absolutely not.”**

**“Good. So, what did you actually think?”**

Yixing was smiling again as he moved to Baekhyun’s side, throwing his left arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders. **“It’s great, but I’m sure you expected me to say that.”** He shrugged, nodding softly. Baekhyun _did_ always expected Yixing to love whatever he did. 

**“I figured as much. So… I hope you don’t mind, but… I kind of invited Junmyeon to come over and check it out, too.”**

Baekhyun’s laughing again, more lightly this time, **“why would I mind? It’s not as if you invited Chanyeol along…”**

 **“Uh…”** An awkward silence settles between the two of them.

**“...Yixing?”**

**“What…?”**

**“You didn’t invite him, right?”**

**“Well, I didn’t invite him, technically.”**

Baekhyun’s sure his face has gone completely white. **“Oh my god.”**

Yixing’s arm drops from Baekhyun’s shoulder, **“well, it wasn’t as if I could tell Junmyeon no. How would I explain that anyways? ‘No, Chanyeol can’t come because my best friend wants to bang him and won’t admit it.’ ?”**

Baekhyun looked directly at Yixing. **“I do _not_ want to bang him.”**

**“ ‘And he’s in denial about it.’ ”**

Baekhyun ran his hands through his hair. He hadn’t spoken to Chanyeol since the party, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about him off and on through the last couple of weeks. He seemed to be the one thought that was piercing through Baekhyun’s art-focused mindset and he was embarrassed to even acknowledge that reality. It was more than infuriating that he couldn’t get their interaction out of his mind, but the taller had left burn marks on his chin and in his memory. He remembered Chanyeol saying he’d “love” to see Baekhyun’s photography sometime, but he wasn't too sure he wanted to let him see this, or any, project. **“Why didn’t you at least tell me?”**

**“Because I knew you’d react this way.”**

**“Well, I don’t like him, so that’s why I reacted this way.”**

Yixing scoffed and rolled his eyes, **“Baekhyun, you’re full of shit. I know you better than anyone else, so don’t try to tell me you don’t like this guy. I mean, it’s not like you haven’t been thinking about him since the party, right?”** , there's a hint of sarcasm in the last sentence, and Yixing's staring at Baekhyun like he knows he has been doing just that - thinking about Chanyeol. When Baekhyun turns his eyes to avert direct contact, Yixing slowly nods his head. **“That’s what I thought.”**

Baekhyun looks back up at him, sighing deeply, **“okay, so I think he’s cute and it’s… been on my mind that he said that… thing.”**

**“That you have a nice ass.”**

**“Do you have to say it out-loud?”**

**“Always.”**

Baekhyun groaned, **“that still doesn’t change the fact that I’m not interested in him in that way - in any way. He’s rude and arrogant.”**

**“You talked for ten minutes.”**

**“That was ten minutes too long.”**

**“Look,”** Yixing sighed, scratching the back of his head, **“I know you got off on the wrong foot with this guy, but he’s Junmyeon’s best friend and he’s gonna be around. Can you at least try to give him another shot? Or fake it, if you have to.”**

He knew Yixing was right and he kinda hated it. He wished he could just dislike Chanyeol in peace, but even he knew it was ridiculous to hold this much resentment for someone he hardly knew. It was irrational and Baekhyun knew it was. That was the whole problem. He hardly knew this person and yet he was able to affect him in such a way that made Baekhyun rather uneasy. What would happen if he actually got to know Chanyeol? He knew he shouldn’t try to find out, but he couldn’t help but want to. Baekhyun turns to his right, eyeing the picture of his parents lying in bed together, sighing and giving in to the situation, **“fine, I'll be civil.”**

Yixing flashes a soft smile, **“that's my boy!”**

 

# ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

 

They spend the next fifteen minutes in the living room, catching up on the events of late - mostly it was just Yixing talking. Things were starting to get more serious between him and Junmyeon, or well, they were finally calling each other “boyfriend” and the discussion of moving in together had become a genuine conversation for them as well. Baekhyun couldn't help but feel just a tad jealous, as he wanted more than anything to have someone he could confide in and consider spending the rest of his life with. He'd come to terms a long time ago with the way he operated in love, though, and what was unfortunate is that he never seemed to attract the type that wanted to settle down and be committed to just him. Baekhyun was sure it'd happen eventually, but having hope didn't make it suck any less. 

Their conversation is interrupted by a knock at the door, Yixing hopping up off the couch and almost running in the direction of the door. Baekhyun took a deep breath before standing up, figuring he should at least be cordial for Junmyeon and Yixing’s sake. The door opens by Yixing’s hand and in walks Junmyeon, with Chanyeol trailing behind him, ducking his head slightly to keep from hitting the door frame. Yixing and Junmyeon embrace in a hug, Junmyeon giving him a kiss before turning to Baekhyun to pull him in a hug. **“It's good to see you!”** It's hard for Baekhyun to remain anxious with that smile staring back at him. He doesn't know Junmyeon well, but he'd always been fond of the way Yixing talked about him and every interaction they'd ever had had been pleasant from start to finish, so he had no real reason to not reciprocate the affection he was being given. They exchange a quick hug before pulling apart, giving Baekhyun full view of Chanyeol once again. There's a moment where he thinks Chanyeol might say something sarcastic, but instead he just walks up to him slowly, speaking with a deep and soft voice, **“nice to see you.”**

Baekhyun’s not sure why, but the comment boils his blood. _‘Nice to see you’? He went from ‘nice ass’ to ‘nice to see you’?_ He felt almost disappointed, but he didn't want to stand in silence for too long, considering they were there to see his work. He swallowed his minuscule pride before speaking, **“yeah, it's good to see you guys, too. Did you wanna take some time to… catch up and eat something, or did you wanna just see everything first?”**

Junmyeon chimed in first, **“I'm fine with seeing it now. Yixing’s been boasting about it for the last hour, so I’m kinda excited.”** Baekhyun’s not surprised, honestly, but he doesn't say anything beyond laughing softly. Unfortunately, his mind is all too focused on Chanyeol and his every movement. He didn't say anything, but he’s kept his eyes on Baekhyun the whole time. At least one thing hasn't changed, he thought. 

Baekhyun nods gently, **“alright, well then I'm sure Yixing already told you that the overall theme is Youth, so just… keep that in mind.”** He gives them the go-ahead to start viewing the room, the both of them making their way towards the work Baekhyun had spent the better part of 3 months working on. He's sure the nervousness is written on his face because he feels Yixing’s hand tangle into his, giving it a squeeze. 

**“Don't be so nervous.”** Yixing speaks in a hushed tone as they walk slowly, following the other two boys.

**“I can't help it. I care what people think.”**

**“Even people like Chanyeol?”**

_Especially people like Chanyeol_ , he thinks to himself. He could say the opposite all he wanted, but he knew the truth. The effect Chanyeol had over him bothered Baekhyun. He’d never felt this dumbstruck by another person in his life, which was saying quite a bit considering he was the king of social awkwardness. Still, he'd never come across another person that got under his skin in the way Chanyeol did - and definitely not as fast either. It was like he could see right through him, find the exact button he needed press to get Baekhyun fired up, and then teased pressing said button. 

Yixing sighed, letting go of Baekhyun’s hand and wrapping his arm around his shoulders. **“It'll be okay.”**

**“I hope for my sake you're right.”**

Baekhyun and Yixing waited outside of the room at Baekhyun’s request, not wanting to make either of them feel like they had to compliment him in any way. Even with Yixing’s optimistic attitude and praise, Baekhyun was already thinking of the worst possible scenarios. It wasn't so much Junmyeon he was worried about - he knew Junmyeon to be honest, but he also knew he was kind to a fault and wasn't about to harshly critique Baekhyun, even if he deserved it. Yixing being around made that scenario even less likely. The issue, as always, was with Chanyeol. He was a complete wild card, one that Baekhyun knew next to nothing about beyond the observation that he was cocky as hell, intense, and rude, which didn't give leave him with much confidence that he would be receiving any positive criticism. There wasn't much that could be done now, though. He was here, he was viewing Baekhyun’s hard work, and then he was gonna walk out and probably make Baekhyun want to dig his own grave. 

Junmyeon came out first, smile on his face, “that was really well done!” Baekhyun felt himself let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. 

**“You think so?”**

**“Absolutely. The “string of memory” metaphor was a nice touch.”**

Baekhyun doesn't hide the smile that stretches across his face. He always did enjoy it when people saw his vision in the way he'd meant for it to be interpreted. He'd expected to see Chanyeol follow behind him, though, so when he looked and didn't see him around, his expression shifted back to its state of worry. **“Did Chanyeol get lost?”** , he joked.

Junmyeon laughed and shook his head, **“he said he needed more time.”**

That threw Baekhyun for a loop. Chanyeol didn't seem to be the uneducated type, so he doubted it was because the other boy just didn't understand the message. There was more to that, or maybe he wanted there to be more. Maybe he was looking for an excuse to be alone with Chanyeol, but whatever the reason he’d decided to go into the room and confront him. **“I'll just… uh, see if he needs help, or something.”** He mentally cursed himself at the phrasing, knowing Yixing would tease him for it later, but he cast the thought out of his mind and focused back on the situation at hand. 

He walks into his workroom, slowly crossing his arms across his chest as he lays his eyes on Chanyeol. It's only now that he's really looking at Chanyeol in all his physical glory. Even though it's casual, he's dressed sharply and well; a simple white buttoned-up shirt with black blazer over, a pair of black slacks, topped off with a Rolex hanging around his left wrist. Baekhyun could tell the boy was far more than well off financially and there was no denying that he was attractive - the way he dressed and held himself was what made him as alluring and captivating as he was. He was focused on one of the wedding photos, specifically one from a mutual friend of Yixing's and Baekhyun's - Jongdae. They’d all been close friends in high school and even after Jongdae had moved to Florida for school and both Baekhyun and Yixing had been invited to his wedding. 

Baekhyun wasn't sure why this was the photo that Chanyeol was so focused on, but regardless he slowly made his way across the room before finding himself a few feet away from the other boy. There's a moment of genuine silence between them before Chanyeol’s voice floods his senses.

**“You know, 'Youth' is a pretty broad theme.”**

Baekhyun scoffed, because of course the first thing out of his mouth was criticism. **“I want people to make their own perceptions of the piece.”**

Chanyeol shakes his head, **“you just don’t want people to understand the truth of what you're saying.”**

Baekhyun felt a lump caught in his throat. Despite this though, he manages to choke out a response, **“and what’s the _“truth”_ of what I'm saying?”**

There's another moment of silence between them, but this one is full of tension and unsaid things. Finally, Chanyeol speaks. **“The smile you're wearing in this photo is genuine, sure, but if you look at your eyes,”** he turns to Baekhyun, taking a few steps closer to him, **“your expression reads desire.”**

Baekhyun feels the temperature in the room rising to a level he's not quite comfortable with, especially with Junmyeon and Yixing being in such close proximity. It doesn't seem to bother Chanyeol, though, as he takes a few more steps closer to Baekhyun, causing him to take a few steps back himself to keep Chanyeol at a happy distance. He's about to speak, but Chanyeol interrupts him, **“you said it was about Youth, but it's more than that. It's about the longing for youth. For experiences.”** Chanyeol’s continuing to take steps forward, forcing Baekhyun to continue moving backwards in retaliation, his mind completely unaware of the wall his back was about to slam against. Once it happens, he knows Chanyeol has him exactly where he wants him. 

There isn't much space between the two of them now, so Baekhyun has to lean his head up to look at Chanyeol. His eyes are focused only on the other boy’s lips as he speaks again. **“You crave experiences like this, don't you?”** As the words spill from his mouth, his hand traces up Baekhyun’s arm, causing him to shiver. The curve of Chanyeol’s lips is unreadable, but enticing no matter how hard Baekhyun tries to resist. A minute passes before Chanyeol’s hands have made their way towards Baekhyun’s face, cupping it gently but firm, and it’s in this moment that he admits it to not only himself, but to the boy in front of him. It comes out in a whisper, but still audible. 

**“Yes...”**

It seemed that this confirmation was all Chanyeol had been waiting for, leaning into what Baekhyun presumed was to be a kiss, but nothing came. He could feel the outline of Chanyeol’s lips and he knew this was just another teasing game Chanyeol was playing. Baekhyun felt his stomach doing somersaults and he was getting impatient, causing an involuntary whine to escape his lips, **“Chanyeol…”** He can feel the smirk plastered across Chanyeol’s face, immediately feeling embarrassed about his inability to control himself around this boy. He didn't have much time to be embarrassed, however, because before he had time to process it Chanyeol’s lips were on his and there were fireworks shooting off inside his head.

Instinctively, Baekhyun’s hand grabbed the first thing they could reach for which was Chanyeol’s shirt, tugging slightly on the fabric. If his touch had left burns on Baekhyun’s skin before, he was sure the kiss would leave a scar, but it was a scar that Baekhyun would be complicit in. Chanyeol’s hands traced from his face down to his waist at the same pace that his lips traced from Baekhyun's, down to his jaw, and eventually to his neck. Baekhyun felt his breath hitch as Chanyeol pressed their hips together, his fingers slipping under Baekhyun’s shirt and his teeth grazing against Baekhyun’s skin. His entire body felt on fire, unsure of how to react or if he should react at all. He hadn't felt this kind of intimacy with someone in a long time and especially not with someone he didn't have a pre-established connection with, but that was the very thing that made Baekhyun want Chanyeol’s hands all over him. Had they truly been alone, Baekhyun’s sure he would've let just that happen despite the consequences, but Yixing and Junmyeon’s presence loomed over his head.

His hands move to Chanyeol’s shoulders, squeezing them slightly, attempting to speak without letting another whine exit his lungs. **“M-maybe we sh-ouldn’t do this h-ere…”**

Chanyeol stops the assault on Baekhyun’s neck to look up at the direction of the door, wetting his lips as he turns his attention back to Baekhyun. For a moment, he thinks Chanyeol’s about to throw caution to the wind and attach his lips back to Baekhyun’s, but instead he removes his hands from Baekhyun’s waist, taking a few steps back and straightens his shirt and blazer. Baekhyun’s still barely breathing, feeling as though Chanyeol had stolen most of the oxygen in his lungs, but manages to straighten up his shirt and runs a hand through his hair to return it back to its usual state. They keep eye contact the entire time and Baekhyun’s unsure if Chanyeol is going to break the silence, because he knows it's not gonna be himself. 

Eventually, though, Chanyeol does break the silence but, it's not with words at first. He reaches into his pocket, grabbing Baekhyun’s hand at the same time, and pulls out a pen. Removing the cap, he starts scribbling numbers onto the palm of Baekhyun’s hand, letting go and sticking the pen back into his pocket. **“You can use that whenever you're ready.”** And that's all he says before he turns away from Baekhyun, heading towards the door and back into the living room. Baekhyun continues to lean against the wall, still processing the whole encounter, before he hears a faint goodbye from Junmyeon, promptly followed by Yixing running into the room and shaking Baekhyun back to a conscious state. 

He looks away from the wall he's been drilling holes into with his eyes, noticing the rather investigative expression cast over Yixing’s face. **“What the hell happened?”** Baekhyun could tell Yixing had an idea of what had happened, but was looking for the full transcript, as always. He ran his fingers through his hair before finally letting out the breath he’d been holding in, shaking his head and heading back into the living room. 

**“How long do you have?”**

**“Shut up, it's not like you guys had sex in 2 minutes. I know you.”**

**“Thank you for that assessment.”**

Yixing finds himself back onto the couch, eyeing Baekhyun to take a seat and come clean. He figures there's no escaping this conversation. It's not as if he'll be able to avoid Yixing indefinitely, anyways, so it was better to just get it out of the way now. 

**“Alright, alright. I'll talk.”**

And once Baekhyun started talking, he’d wished kept it all to himself. Yixing spent most of it with a wide grin on his face and ended with polite teasing that he almost fucked a guy with Yixing right outside the door. 

**“You should wait to text him, though.”**

**“I wasn't really planning on texting him, actually.”**

Baekhyun received a swift smack upside the head after that comment, his hand immediately holding the side of his head and throwing a pillow at Yixing. **“Ow!, Hey, that hurt!”**

**“Good, maybe I knocked the stupid out of you.”**

**“Why should I text him?”**

**“Because you like him.”**

**“I wouldn't say I… like him.”**

**“Don't make me hit you again.”**

Baekhyun’s hand falls back into his lap as he leans back against the arm of the couch. He couldn't really like Chanyeol, could he? They'd only ever talked twice in two weeks and it wasn't like they'd gotten off to the best start.

Yixing nudges his knee, causing Baekhyun to sit up slightly to look in his direction. **“Stop trying to figure out why you like him and just let yourself like him.”** As always, Yixing was being the voice of reason and sanity when Baekhyun’s mind seemed to be fighting those concepts. If anything, he was mad that Yixing was right. It would be easier if he didn't really feel any attraction towards Chanyeol. 'No' would become the easiest word in his vocabulary to say, but every time those eyes gazed in his direction it was as if the word ‘no’ didn't exist in any language Baekhyun knew. And it made him mad. He didn't like having this lack of control over himself around someone that he hardly knew, but that was just it - he didn't know Chanyeol. What if there was more to the taller boy than what he showcased on the surface? 

Well, there was only one way to find out. He quickly grabbed his phone from his pocket, looking at the number written on his palm and entering it into his contacts. Yixing's gotten up to place a delivery order at this point, leaving Baekhyun to stare at the empty message bar in peace. He hesitates for a moment before going with his gut, for once, and typing in a message, hitting send. 

_**When are you free?** _

He considers sending a ‘it's Baekhyun’ message, but he figures Chanyeol would probably figure that out the minute he got the text. And sure enough, a minute later he feels his phone vibrate. He picks it up and unlocks to see the message, his cheeks warming up and his heart stopping in his chest for just a moment. 

_**Saturday. I'll pick you up at 7.** _


	3. Tear Me To Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know this love will tear me to pieces  
> I know his hands will dig up my secrets  
> It's in your eyes, ah, you fucking liar  
> I know this love will tear me to pieces"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been meaning to post this update for like a week and kept putting it off but here it is!! this is actually one of my fav chapters so i hope y'all enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it!! i know it's only the third chapter but i appreciate everyone who's read everything thus far <3 this note is mostly pointless but i rly hope y'all enjoy this chapter cause chanyeol is -_-

To say Baekhyun was nervous was an understatement. Not that he hadn't been on plenty of dates before, but he'd never been on a date with a guy like Chanyeol and quite frankly, he was a little unsure of what would happen throughout the evening. Baekhyun lived his life in an orderly fashion. He liked routines and he liked knowing what was coming in the future. Living in the unknown was never something that appealed to him, but since knowing Chanyeol, the unknown was all he did know. Was it even a date to begin with? Nothing he did know about Chanyeol gave him any impression that he was the dating type, but what else did “pick you up at 7” mean? It had crossed his mind that perhaps the other boy’s only goal in this evening was to cross Baekhyun off his list, but you couldn't blame him for wanting to be as hopeful as possible that that wasn't the case. Even in all his hoping, Baekhyun was having a hard time believing that wasn’t Chanyeol’s endgame.

Baekhyun’s phone started ringing, his heart leaping at the unexpected phone call. Was it Chanyeol? Was he calling to call it all off? That would be Baekhyun’s luck, honestly, but he'd be lying if he didn't slightly wish for that to be the truth. His heart eased when he saw Yixing’s name, smiling as he picked it up, **“thank god.”**

He hears Yixing’s giggle through the phone, **“expecting someone else?”**

**“Shut up.”**

**“You’re not still nervous are you?”**

**“Yixing, how long have we been friends?”**

There was a pause. **“Honestly, I don't know. I've blocked out everything pre-age 14, but I'll assume it's been a long time.”**

**“Sometimes, I really wonder how you get by in life.”**

**“Don't change the subject! Are you feeling okay?”**

Baekhyun pauses at the question. Should he just lie? No, Yixing would be able to tell. He could always tell when Baekhyun was lying, or really when anyone was lying. Yixing had always been good at reading people’s emotions, but especially Baekhyun’s. He sighed, painfully aware of how small he probably sounded through the phone. **“I feel like I want a two ton truck to ram into me right now.”**

**“Don't you think that's a tad overkill?”**

**“That's kinda the point.”**

**“Well, being dramatic isn’t going to solve your problems, is it?”**

Baekhyun groaned, **“No, but it makes me feel better.”** There were times Baekhyun wished he didn’t feel as deeply as he did. It wasn’t that he was overdramatic, really, it was just that things always stung him a little more deep than others; pain became heartache, happiness became glee, anger became fury. 

**“Baekhyun, you can’t overthink this. You’re not any fun when you overthink things. Just let yourself live in the moment and stop worrying about what comes afterwards.”**

Yixing was right, as always. Baekhyun had this terrible habit of thinking out several different scenarios for one event to properly plan for his plan of escape, if something were to go wrong, but he got this sinking feeling that there wasn’t a way to plan for the future if it involved Chanyeol. Baekhyun didn’t like not having control over the events taking place in his life and his emotions, but ever since Chanyeol had walked into his life, it seemed like he was losing more and more control over even the simplest parts of his emotions. It hadn’t even been more than a month since they’d met and the boy already had Baekhyun anxiously waiting by the phone for his text or call. They hadn’t even been on a proper date and he already knew he was being an absolute fool over him. 

**“I’ll try, okay?”** he sighs, feeling a little bit helpless by the whole situation.

**“It’ll be fine, I promise. Text me afterwards about all the dirty details!”**

Baekhyun laughs, finally breaking the tension building in his chest, which seems to please Yixing. The call ends after that, leaving him to his thoughts and impatience. It’s almost seven and he’s starting to feel a little worried that he’d actually fantasized this entire thing and that Chanyeol was happily with some other person or sitting at home doing whatever it was that he did on Saturday nights. _So much for not worrying_ , he thought. He found himself sitting on his couch with his phone in hand, checking the time every five seconds or so, leaving him to feel like he was sixteen all over again. He hadn’t felt this uneasy yet giddy about a date since high school, which was both exciting but also terrifying at the same time. Baekhyun reminded himself to not get sucked in too deep by this boy. And with that last thought, the time changed to seven o’clock. 

Baekhyun felt himself hold his breath as he watched the clock on his phone, reading _7:00_ for what felt like sixty years before finally hearing his doorbell ring, causing him to jump at the sudden noise filling his apartment. It was in that moment that he realized he was here. Chanyeol was actually here, in front of his door. On time. He stood up, shoving his phone in his pocket, reminding himself to breathe before walking towards the door. He assumed that opening the door a second after Chanyeol had rung the doorbell would come off a bit desperate, so he elected to take another moment to catch his breath and thoughts before opening the door. The minute he did, though, he really, _really_ , wished he hadn’t. All the time he’d spent catching his breath had been for nothing because only seconds later, Chanyeol had managed to steal it all back. The boy wasn’t wearing a tux but, that by no means meant that he wasn’t dressed nicely - black slacks, a checkered black buttoned up shirt, with a black blazer and his hair slicked up in its usual style. Baekhyun didn’t often feel the need to drool over a person’s physical appearance, but he figured he could make an exception this once. Baekhyun was thankful he’d let himself overthink his wardrobe, as he was wearing a pair of his own black slacks with a white buttoned up and one of his favorite sweaters over it. 

It was a few seconds before he found his voice again, unable to say anything but, **“Wow.”**

Chanyeol chuckles at this, holding out his hand. **“C’mon, we have reservations at 7:30. You’ll have plenty of time tonight to be speechless.”** Baekhyun didn’t see any reason to argue, but even while taking his hand he still manages to try and pry him open.

**“Reservations?”**

Chanyeol simply smirked at him as he opened the passenger door for him, **“you’ll see.”**

 

# ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

 

If there was a book on _‘how to make Baekhyun fall for you’_ , Chanyeol had definitely read it six times over. From the start, he’d been a perfect gentleman - he opened every door for Baekhyun, let him choose the music during their drive, asked questions about Baekhyun’s work and actually let him talk about it in detail. He’d even taken the two of them out to Canlis, one of the nicest Italian restaurants in Seattle, which was a place Baekhyun could never imagine affording for one person, let alone two. As they sat down, Baekhyun suddenly felt highly underdressed as he looked around the restaurant; people in nice suits and dresses, exchanging champagne and some of the finest dining in the city, white cloth linens covering the tables, the whole place dimly-lit to provide some ambiance and privacy. This was clearly meant to be an intimate setting, which instantly made Baekhyun nervous for what the rest of tonight would involve. There was no way this was “first date” material - maybe second, or even third, but definitely not first.

As always, Chanyeol seemed to be attuned to what Baekhyun was feeling and slid his hand across the table, taking Baekhyun’s and giving it a soft squeeze. **“You look amazing.”**

Baekhyun feels his heart skip a beat and he’s sure his face is a slight pinkish color. Regardless, he can’t suppress the smile. **“Thank you…”** , he pauses, **“you look amazing, too.”** _Really amazing_ , he thinks to himself. He expected that Chanyeol would make some conceited comment like, _“I know”_ , but surprisingly he simply smiled back before letting go of Baekhyun’s hand. 

**“I hope Italian’s okay. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.”**

_You can take me anywhere and I’d be fine with it_ , he thinks. Baekhyun couldn’t dream of affording to go out to a place like this if his life depended on it. This truly was one of the only ways he’d ever be able to dine, let alone actually get in. Baekhyun smiles at the boy across the table from him, nodding his head softly, **“Italian is perfect”.**

As the evening went on, it was clear that Chanyeol was experienced on what made a good date due to the fact that he was checking off Baekhyun’s mental list of what he had been hoping for; he hadn’t policed what Baekhyun could order, he ordered the wine that Baekhyun preferred, he flirted the appropriate amount without being too forward and never made Baekhyun feel uncomfortable. Most importantly, though, he was genuinely interested in everything Baekhyun was saying, which he had always found it somewhat difficult to find someone who was intellectually capable of holding a conversation that lasted longer than fifteen minutes. The whole evening had been everything Baekhyun could have hoped for right from the start. 

Chanyeol grabbed the check and didn’t seem to think twice about paying for, Baekhyun assumed, an expensive meal. He figured he should be thankful - it wasn’t as if Baekhyun could afford a place like this, but he’d always felt weird about other people paying for him. As if he were reading Baekhyun’s thoughts, Chanyeol chimed in, **“don’t worry about it, really.”** It was a hard request. Baekhyun worried about everything, especially when it involved money. **“You can always return the favor, if you’re really uncomfortable with me spending money on you.”** Baekhyun’s face probably conveyed the confusion he felt, as he wasn’t sure what exactly Chanyeol was getting at. It took him a moment before it clicked in his head and instantly his throat felt dry. 

**“Isn’t the first date a little early for that?”** Baekhyun had never been the kind of person to sleep with someone on the first, second, or third date, but something was telling him that that wasn’t the case for Chanyeol. The atmosphere changes as the boy across the table flashes a smirk as he leans back against the chair, eyeing Baekhyun with a purpose.

**“I think it’s cute you expected there to be a second date.”**

If he had been trying to make Baekhyun feel even smaller than usual, that was a pretty successful attempt. He could only manage to stare at Chanyeol, a little taken aback by his brutal honesty. **“My mistake, I guess,”** was the only thing he could manage to say. He felt stupid for having allowed himself to think for even a second that someone like Chanyeol was capable of going on a date that didn’t involve sleeping with him, especially since unlike the last time they’d had an interaction like this, Baekhyun actually liked him now. The waiter came by to drop off the paid check, allowing Chanyeol to scribble in a tip and take back his card. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two of them now, but Chanyeol didn’t say anything for a few minutes before standing up from his chair and making his way over to Baekhyun, holding out his hand. He didn’t hesitate to grab Chanyeol’s hand and allow him to escort them outside of the restaurant and back into Chanyeol’s car. 

He had clearly gotten the message from their brief conversation towards the end of dinner, heading straight for Baekhyun’s apartment complex without uttering a word back to him the entire car ride. Baekhyun was a little disappointed, to say the least, but thankfully he wouldn’t have to worry about Chanyeol belittling Baekhyun’s hope that this was actually going to be something worth more than sex. They eventually pulled up to his complex causing Baekhyun to relax, as he was ready to get the night over with - but it seemed Chanyeol had other intentions. Before he could get out of the car, Chanyeol had exited the driver’s side and made his way over to the passenger door, closing it behind Baekhyun right as he stepped out, placing his hands on either side of Baekhyun’s shoulders, and blocking his way.

Baekhyun felt his throat in chest and it must’ve been all over his face, as Chanyeol’s smirk didn’t leave his face as he spoke, **“now that I have your attention,”** his arms dropped from their position next to Baekhyun’s shoulders, Chanyeol now sliding his hands into his pockets, speaking again, **“I think we have a misunderstanding.”**

Baekhyun snorted, _what gave you that impression?_ , he thought to himself. 

**“I don’t do relationships, dating - whatever you wanna call it.”**

He’d known this from the beginning. Chanyeol had never seemed like the boyfriend type, but hearing him say it out loud now that Baekhyun had already started feeling an interest towards him was like pricking your fingers on a rose you knew had thorns. **“So, then why did you ask me out?”**

 **“You really have to ask?”** His words were like cloaked daggers, but Baekhyun felt them more intensely than pure insults. 

**“So, you did all that just to have sex with me?”**

**“Well, no. I do love fine dining.”**

Baekhyun couldn’t help but laugh. He’d really let himself get wrapped up in a guy who couldn’t give two shits about him or a relationship. It wasn’t like Baekhyun had expected this to be some dream, fairytale romance, but any kind of romance would’ve been nice. **“Sorry to have wasted your time, then, because that’s not how I do this.”**

Chanyeol had not become any easier to read in the last few days and Baekhyun was growing tired of constantly feeling at a loss and not in control when it came to this boy. Sure, he was charming and cute, but what was it about him that left Baekhyun waiting with bated breath? They stand there in silence for a moment and it’s in that moment, staring up at the taller, that Baekhyun knows he’s willing to try and see where this could go - if it can go anywhere. 

**“I can’t move things that quickly,”** he sighs, before finishing his sentence, **“can you give me some time to… think it over?”** They don’t break eye contact the entire time that Chanyeol’s pondering Baekhyun’s request, leaving him feeling even more breathless than he’d been the entire night. Truthfully, it was only a few seconds, but it felt like minutes before Chanyeol slightly nodded his head. 

**“As long as you know nothing between us is exclusive, we’re good.”**

It wasn’t exactly the words he was wanting to hear, but he figured it was as good as he was going to get. Baekhyun manages to flash a soft smile before pushing himself off of the passenger door of Chanyeol’s car and starting to head towards his building. Before he could get too far, though, he felt Chanyeol grab his hand, keeping him from going any further. He’s not sure what could be left to say, but as he’s turning his head to see what he’s being detained for, he’s met with one hand placed gently against his cheek and Chanyeol’s lips pressing against his softly. It wasn’t like their first kiss, full of passion and lust, but there wasn’t any lost desire in this one. If anything, the gentleness and simplicity of this kiss made him want Chanyeol even more than their first. Baekhyun doesn’t break the kiss like last time either, but eventually Chanyeol pulls away and lets go of his hand, smiling before walking back towards his car and driving out of Baekhyun’s complex. 

He stands there for a moment, touching his lips softly before turning himself around and heading towards his building, up the stairs, and into his apartment. He knew Chanyeol had left the night like that on purpose - Chanyeol was teasing him and it was painfully obvious, even to someone as oblivious as Baekhyun. He knew there were probably texts from Yixing asking about the evening, but the whole night had left him both mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted to the point where all he could manage to do was change out of his clothes, plug in his phone, and set his morning alarm to study for midterms before immediately drifting off to sleep, thinking about the uncertainty of pursuing a relationship with someone like Chanyeol.


End file.
